Starting Over
by amekazakai
Summary: In which Harry says goodbye and hello.


**Happy New Years everyone!**

**I wrote this with a "Tying loose ends, Starting something new" theme in mind...**

**And the first three lines were written from memory, so they might not be entirely accurate...**

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter is not mine. Obviously.

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Look... at... me..."

Green eyes met black for a heartbeat.

Then something dimmed in the black eyes and the hand that had been clutching Harry's robes fell to the ground.

* * *

Despite his words to Dumbledore, Harry went back every day to the clearing he had confronted Voldemort in.

Harry walked silently around the edge, stopping every now and then as he got lost among his thoughts.

He knew that he was looking for something, waiting for something, but he didn't know what.

And so he kept going back to the clearing.

* * *

Sometimes, somebody would go with him.

Ron and Hermione walked silently at his side whenever they went, the three strolling comfortably in the long stretches of silence.

At other times, Ginny would be the one to accompany him, her hand in his as they went around.

Rarely, Luna or Neville or one of his other friends would go with him.

It was interesting how there never seemed to be a need for words.

Silence was enough for the veterans.

* * *

As much as Harry appreciated the company of the living, he always preferred it when he was alone.

Alone was when they came out.

Alone meant he was lonely enough to ask them to be there.

Sometimes, it would be Sirius or Lupin, the two smiling at him proudly.

Other times, it would be Fred Weasley, grinning and giving him a thumbs up.

Colin Creevey would be there once in a while, his camera around his neck like the first time they had met.

Dobby popped up from time to time, his big eyes sparkling and feet always clad in one of the socks Harry had given him.

Even Dumbledore had appeared to him once, looking exactly as he remembered him, vivid blue eyes twinkling behind the half-moon glasses Harry remembered so well.

When Harry was feeling especially lonely, Hedwig would flutter down to his shoulder and nip his ear affectionately.

Usually, it was his parents.

Harry craved his mother's warm smile, the twinkle in his dad's eyes.

Oftentimes, Harry would hear a small warning in his head, which sounded oddly like Hermione, about how the craving he was feeling now was exactly like the one he felt towards the Mirror of Erised in his first year.

He didn't care.

* * *

Harry wasn't stupid - he knew it was the Resurrection Stone answering his desires.

But he didn't try looking for the stone; he had promised Dumbledore, after all.

It never occurred to Harry that someone else might find the Stone.

He had reasoned to himself that it would be safely hidden in the unchecked undergrowth of the Forbidden Forest.

He forgot, however, that he wasn't the only person who often wandered into secluded areas for some peace and quiet, and now that the Room of Requirement was closed to the public, so to speak, such people would need to find another spot.

And what better place than the Forbidden Forest?

He forgot all this, or rather, he blocked it out, so it came as a complete surprise when one day, he walked into the clearing and spotted a familiar head of blond hair.

* * *

"Malfoy?"

"...Potter."

* * *

Harry walked closer hesitantly; now that he thought about it, he'd been out of it for a while and he hadn't returned Draco's wand yet.

He reached into his back pocket to draw it out, but faltered when Draco flinched away.

Oh right...Draco had no wand.

Harry drew the hawthorn wand out and held it up so Draco could see it in the dappled sunlight, relaxing slightly when there was a glimmer of recognition in the gray eyes.

"Here, I've been meaning to give this back to you."

Harry took two steps forward, wand held out in front of him.

Draco hesitated for a few seconds, still suspicious, before slowly closing the remaining distance and taking his wand.

As the pale fingers touched the wood, the wand sparked slightly, finally reunited with its original master.

Harry watched Draco tuck the wand away, the blonde's posture less tense than before, when his eyes caught a slight flicker of Draco's gaze, like he was looking at someone behind him.

Harry raised his eyebrow and turned to look over his shoulder, frowning when he couldn't see anybody there.

Then his eyes widened as a nagging suspicion entered his mind and he spun his head back around to Draco, his eyes immediately searching out Draco's other hand.

His wide gaze narrowed when it focused on the black stone in the other's hand.

"Shit."

* * *

Draco tensed again, backing away slightly.

Harry held his hand open. "Give me the Stone."

Draco's eyes narrowed. "No."

"You don't know what it is."

"No, I don't. But I know what it can do."

A pause.

Draco's fingers slowly turned the stone around. "You obviously know what this is."

Another pause.

Harry nodded slowly.

Draco looked down at the stone. "Who did you see?"

"...My mum and dad. Others who died."

Another pause as Harry slowly walked towards Draco and the two sat down a foot or two away from each other.

"You?"

"..."

Draco cocked his head, seemingly listening to something before answering, "Professor Snape."

Harry nodded. "Makes sense."

The two were silent for a moment.

Draco suddenly held his hand and the stone out. "Here, give me your hand."

Harry blinked at him before slowly reaching out, the two clasping hands with the stone in the middle.

And he gasped when a dark figure clothed in billowing black robes swirled into existence.

"Potter."

"Professor."

* * *

If Harry had been really honest with himself, he would have admitted that he wanted to see Professor Snape.

Wanted to, yet also scared to.

He didn't know how he was supposed to act around him now that he knew everything about the Half-Blood Prince and more.

More than even the man's godson knew.

So when green eyes met black once again, Harry was slightly surprised at the mixed rush of relief and fear he felt.

If Draco could feel the tension, could read the unspoken questions and answers that were exchanged between the other two, he gave no reaction.

He remained sitting, closing his eyes and basking in the rare moment of warm sunlight in the cold forest.

And Harry was glad, grateful even, that the Slytherin had enough tact to give him and the professor as much privacy as he could.

He glanced at the blonde before addressing the silent figure in front of him.

"So I saw what you told me to..."

Harry took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "I'm not going to pretend that it changes how you acted towards me, since it's obvious that you saw me as my dad more than my mum..."

A slight nod from the other man.

Harry sighed. "But my opinion of you _has_ changed."

From the corner of his eyes, Harry could see Draco open one eye in curiosity.

"And I can see why you acted the way you did. And I just wanted to say..."

Harry hesitated, then looked the black eyes dead-on and said in a firm voice, "Thank you."

Both of Draco's eyes were open now, in astonishment, Harry noted wryly.

Severus has a faint smile on his face as he tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Although, Mr. Potter, it seems I owe you a bit of an apology. You have more of Lily in you than I realized."

Harry crossed his arms and frowned as he thought of something. "Oh, but you have to know that dad really did save you from Lupin because he was worried, not for himself."

Severus shrugged. "Lily told me to drop it if I wanted her to drop the...other matter."

Harry's widened. "You talked to mum?"

Severus scowled. "Dumbledore intercepted me and dragged me to talk to them. There's quite a group assembled, calling themselves 'Potter's Army' or some nonsense."

Draco chuckled as Harry flushed in embarrassment and pleasant surprise.

Severus 's expression turned serious. "Don't you ever let my work be in vain. Understood?"

Harry nodded. "Yessir."

Severus looked at Draco. "Take care of yourself, Draco."

Draco nodded. "Yessir."

Satisfied, the headmaster disappeared in a swirl of robes.

Silence fell over the clearing.

* * *

After a while, Harry stood up, stretching.

Draco didn't look up.

Harry looked at him. "Aren't you going back?"

Draco shrugged, head still down.

Harry was silent for a while as he contemplated something.

Should he do it?

He would probably be rejected, but... During the war, the blonde had saved his life.

Harry knew what the boy had gone through, was going through now, why his family acted the way they did.

Neither of them had anything to lose by his doing it.

Harry nodded to himself, then stepped forward and put his hand out.

* * *

"Hi."

* * *

Draco looked up at his face, then his hand, puzzled.

"Hi. My name is Harry Potter."

Draco knew what was coming next, but his face betrayed his doubt.

Surely Harry wouldn't...

* * *

"Would you like to be my friend?"


End file.
